Murray critical of Olympics, Ducks

ANAHEIM – At the risk of "sounding like an old curmudgeon," Ducks general manager Bob Murray said Sunday night he is opposed to the NHL continuing its participation in the Winter Olympics.

"If you ask me now, I'd say no," Murray said.

That's hardly surprising. The Ducks sent eight players and one prospect to the Vancouver Games last month, most in the NHL, and their contingent returned with an NHL-best seven medals, to a thunderous ovation in Anaheim.

But the Ducks stars, with the exception of captain Scott Niedermayer, did not return to form when the NHL schedule resumed. That was Murray's worst nightmare come to life.

"We went in playing well and came out dead," Murray said, referring to the team's 14-6 surge before the Olympic break and an 0-4-1 nosedive in the Ducks' first five games after the break. "We were petrified of this (happening) because we had so many (Olympians). But there's no explanation for it. Disappointment is the best word I can use."

Some people have called it an "Olympic hangover," but Murray isn't buying it.

"Olympic hangover?" he said, repeating the words that clearly were repugnant to him. "Excuses are for losers. You knew the level of play was going to be higher coming out of the Olympics than it was going in. That's just the way our game is. You have to want it bad. Bottom line, we don't have enough guys wanting it bad."

For the record, Murray made his critical comments before his stars finally showed up Sunday night, breathing life into the Ducks with a 4-2 victory against the San Jose Sharks, the top team in the Western Conference.

As if they had been eavesdropping, the seven Olympians still on the roster led the Ducks' Lazarus-esque performance. Corey Perry (Canada), Teemu Selanne (Finland) and Bobby Ryan (U.S.) scored goals; Ryan Getzlaf (Canada), Ryan and Selanne contributed first-period assists; and goalie Jonas Hiller (Switzerland), with the usual stellar play from defenseman Niedermayer (Canada), blanked the high-scoring Sharks until Joe Thornton's goal midway through the third period.

But because of the post-Olympic funk, one impressive performance isn't going to get the team back in the chase for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Ducks (70 points) picked up two points on the Red Wings (78 points), currently in the eighth spot, but they remained 13th in the overall standings, with four more teams to pass on the way up.

With only 14 games left in the regular season, the Ducks will need a stretch-drive surge similar to their 10-2-1 tear a year ago to get into the playoffs again. It will probably take at least 90 points to have a chance.

They have shown a strong finishing kick to make the playoffs the past four years – they closed 20-5-1 in 2008, 13-3-4 in 2007 and 15-7 in 2006 — so at least there is precedent to fuel optimism.

"The guys have done it before," Murray said. "If they want it bad enough, they can still run it. It may sound like a broken record, but you've got to want it."

For one night, the Ducks demonstrated the requisite desire and sense of urgency. Next imposing obstacle is Chicago, the No. 2 team in the West, on Wednesday night at home.

No matter what happens, don't expect Murray to change his mind about the Olympics. He concedes there are a lot of "positives" about NHL players competing in the Olympics, but they don't outweigh the negatives in his mind at this moment. We'll check back at the end of the regular season.